Curry's Ankle and Thin Depth Meet a Lakers Team Still Finding Its Shape

By NBA Stat Desk How we produce articles

Golden State's depth problems give a still-forming Lakers group the edge in the opener.

GSW @ LAL Oct 22, 2026 at 2:00 AM UTC

Stephen Curry's right ankle is the first thing to watch. He rolled it in Sunday's open scrimmage, but Steve Kerr said he will be good to go after a full practice Monday. That is welcome news for Golden State, though last season's backdrop keeps the concern alive: Curry played just 43 games and missed 39, including more than two months with runner's knee. Even if he suits up, his burst and workload deserve attention.

Curry matters more because so much of the roster around him is unavailable. Porzingis is out indefinitely, Butler is recovering from a torn ACL, and Moody is also out, while Podziemski and Bassey are questionable. That leaves the Warriors thin, and their contingency plan shows it. If Curry cannot go at full strength, Draymond Green could take on more offense, with Podziemski and Melton getting extra backcourt minutes. That is a workable fallback, but not one that scares a good defense.

The Lakers have problems of their own, just less pressing ones. Doncic, Reaves and Kessler had played only 13 minutes together before this opener, and two starting spots remain undecided. They also had to cut to 15 players and have strong interest in Moussa Cisse as insurance behind Kessler and Looney. Expect some early disorganization, especially around the center rotation.

Still, Los Angeles has the more complete group on the floor, and the creation of Doncic and Reaves should hold up even without polish. Golden State can keep this close if Curry is sharp and Green runs the offense smoothly, but the Warriors' margin for error is slim once the bench is tested. I like the Lakers to find enough separation late at home.

Prediction: Lakers 116, Warriors 109.

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